We stopped by the SW Snoqualmie festival street next to the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) in The Triangle just before sunset, as people gathered for the final West Seattle Outdoor Movies show of summer 2017, “Beauty and the Beast.” We even found these characters:

This was the first full season at the new location of the free movie series, presented by the Y and the West Seattle Junction Association, with community business and organization sponsors including WSB.

Our photo is from April 2014, when we covered chess champion Phiona Mutesi visiting West Seattle Elementary School, more than 8,000 miles from her hometown in Uganda. She visited students learning to play chess, and spoke at an assembly. Since then, Phiona’s true story has become the subject of a movie, “Queen of Katwe,” which you can see Saturday night at West Seattle Outdoor Movies in The Triangle. Here’s the trailer:

This week’s movie is presented by the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor), which is right next to the 36th/Snoqualmie “festival street” where the movies are shown, and the West Seattle Junction Association. Bring your own chair/blanket – you can show up as early as 6:30 pm and enjoy the evening in the street. This week’s food truck is BC Zhang, with “Chinese fast food.” Concessions are sold too, and the movie’s free! It starts at dusk, which this week is expected to be between 8:15 and 8:30.

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is onscreen tomorrow night at the SW Snoqualmie festival street next to the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor), for the third of this year’s six free West Seattle Outdoor Movies. You can show up as early as 6:30 pm; movie’s at dusk (9-ish), and here’s what happens inbetween:

From the same people who brought you the earworm “Everything Is Awesome” … it’s “The Lego Batman Movie,” and it’s what’s onscreen Saturday night at this summer’s second West Seattle Outdoor Movies event. You’re welcome to show up in the SW Snoqualmie Festival Street [map] on the south side of the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) in The Triangle as early as 6:30 pm; the movie starts at dusk, 9 pm-ish. Here’s some of what else will be going on between those two times:

…and more. Admission is free; bring your own chair and/or blanket. (Or both … it was a little breezy by showtime last Saturday night.) See the full season lineup – every Saturday night through August 26th –here.

7:35 PM: Stormtroopers, Darth Vader, Princess Leia, School of Rock musicians, the Macho Burgers food truck, and early-arrival moviegoers are already gathered in and along the SW Snoqualmie festival street west of 36th SW [map], for the first night of this year’s West Seattle Outdoor Movies series. “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” is tonight’s movie. (Added – SOR started playing and a stormtrooper dance ensued:)

This is the first full season that the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) is hosting the series, which now has more room and more opportunities for preshow fun. There’s still time for you to get here – after some preshow music, we’re gearing up for “Star Wars” trivia, hosted by co-publisher Patrick, and the movie itself is still an hour and a half or so away. It’s a little breezy here in the shade so we’d recommend bringing a sweater. And definitely bring your own chair(s) and/or blanket to sit on. The movie’s free; in addition to the food truck availability, the Y is selling concessions, and cool prizes will be raffled to raise money for local nonprofits.

8:56 PM: Movie time is getting closer. People are still arriving; still room toward the back of the sloped seating area facing the inflatable screen (which is being tested right now – not dark enough to start the movie yet). Definitely sweater/blanket weather, at least in your editor’s opinion. The “Star Wars” trivia game is in the final moments. Meantime, another scene from the Garrison Titan visit earlier – some of the visitors posing with the Y’s new leader Shalimar Gonzales:

Next week, it’s the LEGO Batman Movie. During the week, we’ll have a preview with even more details such as preshow activities, food-truck plans, etc.

That may look like an ordinary street – but Saturday evening, SW Snoqualmie just south of 36th SW [map], next to the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor), will transform into its secret identity as a “Festival Street” for the first West Seattle Outdoor Movies event of the season – the first full season in this new location.

The movie: “Rogue One,” which made history as the first standalone “Star Wars Story” movie outside the trilogies.

The time: You can arrive as early as 6:30 pm. From the official WSOM website:

•First 50 kids (or all those young at heart) will get light sabers.
•7-8 pm, bust out your cameras for those stormtrooper selfies (Garrison Titan will be here)
•Food truck for the night: Macho Burgers (vegetarian, gluten-free options available)

Live performances by School of Rock West Seattle.

Star Wars quiz by our own West Seattle ‘Mean Old Man’ with a Jedi Jeopardy lighting round.

Sponsored by ActivSpace In West Seattle, Elliott Bay Brewing Company, LaVida Massage of West Seattle, School of Rock WS, West Seattle Christian Church, West Seattle Farmers Market, and West Seattle Blog

Brought to you by the West Seattle Junction Association and West Seattle & Fauntleroy YMCA.

The movie starts at dusk – we can safely say that’ll be after 9 pm. But with all the aforementioned excitement, you won’t want to arrive at the last minute anyway. This is the first of the season’s six movies, every Saturday night through August 26th; see the lineup on the WSOM website.

Two weeks from tonight, right about now, it’ll be showtime on the big screen in the festival street outside the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor), as this year’s WS Outdoor Movies series begins. Above is the trailer for this year’s first movie, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” As first published here in May, here’s this year’s full lineup, six consecutive Saturday night:

July 22 – “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”

July 29 – “The LEGO Batman Movie”

August 5 – “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”

August 12 – “Finding Dory”

August 19 – “Queen of Katwe”

August 26 – “Beauty and the Beast” (2017)

The films start at dusk, which means the time varies, a little earlier week to week. You’re welcome to arrive earlier for concessions, mingling, bring-your-own picnics, food trucks, Y-coordinated kids’ activities, etc. Admission is free, but if you bring $, you can get in on raffles raising money for local nonprofits, too. WSB is proud to be a co-sponsor again this year; see you at the movies!

]]>http://westseattleblog.com/2017/07/countdown-2-weeks-until-west-seattle-outdoor-movies-2017-series-begins/feed/3WEST SEATTLE OUTDOOR MOVIES: Here’s the 2017 lineup!http://westseattleblog.com/2017/05/west-seattle-outdoor-movies-heres-the-2017-lineup/
http://westseattleblog.com/2017/05/west-seattle-outdoor-movies-heres-the-2017-lineup/#commentsTue, 16 May 2017 22:33:14 +0000http://westseattleblog.com/?p=883045The lineup is set for this year’s West Seattle Outdoor Movies, six free summer Saturday movies in the “festival street” on the south side of the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor). Drum roll …

The movie series (with co-sponsors including WSB) will feature preshow kids’ games and activities coordinated by the Y. Food trucks, too, and concessions, plus nonprofit-fundraising rallies. And the last movie of summer will include the free community barbecue sponsored by West Seattle Christian Church. Movies start at dusk. See you in the street!

The dates are set for this year’s West Seattle Outdoor Movies series – six Saturday nights in July and August, starting July 22nd, free. This is the 13th year for the series and the first one with all movies to be shown in the “festival street” (SW Snoqualmie) on the south side of the newly expanded West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor), which was still under construction when the series moved there for last year’s final movie (photo above) but is all done now!

WSB is WSOM’s media sponsor again this year and it’s time for the traditional request for your thoughts on which six movies to show. This year, organizers let us know they’re doing it a little differently – besides just asking for suggestions, they’re also asking for thoughts on a list of movies that have come up in their early discussions. Those movies are:

The LEGO Batman Movie
The Jungle Book
Zootopia
Beauty and the Beast
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Queen of Katwe
Kong: Skull Island
Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them
La La Land
Jurassic World
Finding Dory
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids

So if you have favorites among those, AND/OR other suggestions, please comment!

]]>http://westseattleblog.com/2017/05/west-seattle-outdoor-movies-2017-seeking-suggestions-a-little-differently-this-year/feed/44PHOTOS: West Seattle Outdoor Movies has moved!http://westseattleblog.com/2016/08/happening-now-west-seattle-outdoor-movies-has-moved/
http://westseattleblog.com/2016/08/happening-now-west-seattle-outdoor-movies-has-moved/#commentsSun, 21 Aug 2016 02:10:41 +0000http://westseattleblog.com/?p=8550847:10 PM: As of tonight, West Seattle Outdoor Movies has officially moved to its new location – SW Snoqualmie between 36th SW and 37th SW, aka the “festival street” on the south side of the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor). In case you were wondering about the setup before heading to tonight’s movie (“Princess Bride“), we stopped by a short time ago for photos. Lots of shade, and lots of room – the seating area has a gentle upslope into the parking area south of the street, so it’s almost an amphitheater feel. On the left in our top photo, that’s the concession stand operated by, and benefiting, the Southwest Seattle Historical Society – everything’s $1 as usual, popcorn, candy, soda, bottled water. The movie’s at dusk – should be around 8:30 tonight – and this is the last one of this season; next year will be the first full season for WSOM in the spacious new digs.

(Added photo) Above, that’s your new host, the Y’s Josh Sutton, setting up the projection equipment with wife Susan Sutton. We also spotted Lora Swift, now movie host emeritus after 11 years of WSOM at Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor). We’ve been the proud media sponsor for nine seasons and hope to continue!

9:24 PM: We couldn’t stay for the movie, but Kevin Freitas is in the crowd and tweeted this photo to us:

]]>http://westseattleblog.com/2016/08/happening-now-west-seattle-outdoor-movies-has-moved/feed/3A last and a first! ‘Princess Bride’ wraps up this year’s West Seattle Outdoor Movies while launching new locationhttp://westseattleblog.com/2016/08/a-last-and-a-first-princess-bride-wraps-up-this-years-west-seattle-outdoor-movies-while-launching-new-location/
Thu, 18 Aug 2016 07:50:54 +0000http://westseattleblog.com/?p=854794

The goofy classic “Princess Bride” is on the screen this Saturday night as the 2016 season of West Seattle Outdoor Movies comes to a close. But it’s not just an end – it’s a beginning, too, as the movies move to the new “festival street” (explained here), SW Snoqualmie between 36th and 37th SW, on the south side of the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor). The Southwest Seattle Historical Society (which sells and benefits from WSOM concessions) recorded this invitation from the Y’s Josh Sutton:

See the map to the new location on the SWSHS’s site; the Historical Society also will benefit from this week’s raffles. The movie’s free, and you can arrive as early as 6 pm; showtime is dusk, around 8:30 pm at this point in the summer. See you at the Festival Street!

]]>UPDATE: West Seattle Outdoor Movies’ final night in Hotwire Coffee’s courtyardhttp://westseattleblog.com/2016/08/happening-now-west-seattle-outdoor-movies-final-night-in-hotwire-coffees-courtyard/
http://westseattleblog.com/2016/08/happening-now-west-seattle-outdoor-movies-final-night-in-hotwire-coffees-courtyard/#commentsSun, 14 Aug 2016 02:31:52 +0000http://westseattleblog.com/?p=854381
As of just before 7, a crowd was already building in the Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (4410 California SW; WSB sponsor) courtyard for tonight’s West Seattle Outdoor Movies showing of “The Lego Movie.” It may seem like just another fun Saturday night for most people there, but for the folks behind the scenes, it’s a momentous occasion:
Hotwire proprietor Lora Swift has been movie maven for 11 years … and is handing the baton (and the projector) over to the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor) after tonight – the new “festival street” next to the Y will become home of WSOM. With Lora in the photo above is Gareth Kenee, who’s been technical guru (projection, sound, etc.) for WSOM for the past few seasons … all on a volunteer basis. They set up long before the moviegoers start arriving, and stay to clean up long after the courtyard has cleared out.

Meantime, tonight’s big pre-show feature is the fifth annual free barbecue cooked up on the east side of the courtyard by volunteers from West Seattle Christian Church:

And if you’re coming to the movie – or already there – say hi to one of tonight’s spotlight sponsors, Carol from Dream Dinners-West Seattle (WSB sponsor):

She can tell you all about how Dream Dinners bridges the gap between cooking from scratch and picking up takeout … lots of solutions for your dinnertime dilemmas, with just a little advance planning. Her table’s in the back of the courtyard, next to the Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s fundraising concessions (cool deals for water, soda, candy, popcorn, etc.), and if you can spare a few more $ you can buy tickets for the nonprofit-benefiting raffle.

WSB has been the proud media sponsor of West Seattle Outdoor Movies for many years now and while we’re getting a little misty about moving from the cozy courtyard, the big new digs by the Y will be exciting to experience, starting next Saturday night (August 20th) with “Princess Bride.” But first – tonight’s movie at Hotwire! It should start just after sunset, around 8:30.

10:34 PM: Started closer to 8:45, and now it’s over – cleanup time. See you at the Y next week.

]]>http://westseattleblog.com/2016/08/happening-now-west-seattle-outdoor-movies-final-night-in-hotwire-coffees-courtyard/feed/8UPDATE: West Seattle Outdoor Movies, week 4http://westseattleblog.com/2016/08/happening-now-west-seattle-outdoor-movies-week-4/
Sun, 07 Aug 2016 03:35:20 +0000http://westseattleblog.com/?p=8535418:35 PM: After three weeks of wall-to-wall crowds in the courtyard at Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor), there’s legroom and then some with about half an hour to go until 9 pm-ish showtime at West Seattle Outdoor Movies – so if you’re making last-minute decisions, grab a chair/blanket and come see “Skyfall.”

(Trivia winners with WSB co-publisher Patrick and the legendary Rice-A-Roni)

We’ve already played preshow James Bond trivia, with three moviegoers winning gift cards donated by Hotwire, Pecos Pit (WSB sponsor), and Full Tilt Ice Cream (plus a box of Rice-A-Roni that we donated), but you can get tickets for the West Senior Senior Center-benefiting raffle, and the Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s still selling benefit concessions, while projector/sound system operator Gareth is playing Bond movie music.

This is the second-to-last WSOM screening in the Hotwire courtyard – next Saturday (August 13th) it’s “The Lego Movie,” and then for the season finale, “Princess Bride” on August 20th, the series moves to its new home in the “festival street” by the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor).

That’s the trailer for Daniel Craig as James Bond in “Skyfall,” the movie you’ll see on the wall in the Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) courtyard Saturday night for this summer’s fourth West Seattle Outdoor Movies presentation. Special feature before it gets dark: James Bond trivia, hosted by WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand. Free to enter, and there are prizes – thanks to Pecos Pit Barbecue (WSB sponsor), Full Tilt Ice Cream, and Hotwire. (If you were there for Star Wars trivia before the season’s first movie, you might remember the game-show bonus prize. It’s back, too.) No admission charge for the movie but bringing $ for nonprofit-benefiting concessions and raffles is an awesome thing to do if you can.

P.S. While this is the third-to-last movie of the season, remember that the 2016 finale will be in the new home of WS Outdoor Movies, the “festival street” next to the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor), which makes “Skyfall” the SECOND-TO-LAST movie in the Hotwire courtyard.

8:18 PM: We’re in the courtyard at Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) with a wall-to-wall crowd ready to enjoy the first of 2016’s six West Seattle Outdoor Movies – at dusk, “Star Wars Episode VII.” The movie’s free but it’s also a fundraiser for local nonprofits – the Southwest Seattle Historical Society sells, and benefits from, concessions; donated prizes are up for grabs in raffles that tonight will benefit WestSide Baby (whose big Stuff The Bus diaper drive is a week from tomorrow). Pre-show trivia (put together by WSB co-publisher Patrick) is about to start. More to come!

8:30 PM: In the photo above, that’s Hotwire proprietor Lora Swift, who has produced the outdoor-movie series for more than a dozen years now – this is a momentous year because at season’s end, it moves to the “festival street” by the West Seattle YMCA (WSB sponsor), where there’s more room (and tonight’s turnout is another reminder that it’s much-needed)! Lora was taking a group photo of tonight’s crowd – we’ll link to it when it’s up. (Update: Here’s the actual pic)

8:41 PM: Trivia’s under way. Starting with an easy one – “Who said ‘it’s a trap’?” and it’s been getting tougher from there.

9:06 PM: Congratulations to “T,” trivia winner! The moon is rising over the building with the WSOM screen, and now we’re just waiting for it to be dark enough to see the movie. If you didn’t make it here (or get a seat) this week, next week is “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” with live music pre-show. Sponsors will include The Beer Junction, which promises “ice cream floats with Husky Deli Ice Cream and Snoqualmie Root Beer.” By the way, you never know what treats you might get at WSOM, besides the concessions (which are a deal at $1) – tonight, for example, Coastline (the burger joint just down the block) brought over some of their world-famous cookies.